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Senate Judiciary Committee advances SB 2678, SB 2313 and SB 2528 with amendments
Summary
The Senate Judiciary Committee approved three measures: SB 2678 (family court working group with $20,000 appropriation), SB 2313 (comprehensive public campaign financing framework delayed for 2028), and SB 2528 (increase in partial public financing match and funding). Each measure was adopted with amendments and will be reflected in committee reports.
The Senate Judiciary Committee on the decision-making agenda voted to advance three bills, adopting committee-recommended amendments on each measure.
SB 2678, described to establish a judiciary working group to improve family court processes and expand access to legal representation for youth in the child welfare system, was recommended to pass with amendments. The committee directed changes to Section 2—including specifying that lived-experience members are people who navigated the state child welfare system as minors, replacing an actively serving guardian ad litem with a former GAL, permitting co-chairs to invite additional expertise, and allowing compensation for lived-experience members. The committee report will suggest a $20,000 appropriation. Chair Rhodes called the recommendation and the measure was adopted by the committee.
SB 2313, a bill to create a comprehensive public financing program for state and county candidates to begin with the 2028 general election, was also recommended to pass with technical and timing amendments. The committee accepted technical edits, removed current appropriation and staffing language to be specified in the committee report, and adjusted effective dates (committee materials list 03/22/2075 as a general effective date and 11/04/2075 for statutory framework sections to align implementation with the 2028 cycle). The committee adopted the measure by voice vote with no objections from members present.
SB 2528, a proposal from the Campaign Spending Commission to adjust the partial public financing program, was recommended to pass with amendments. Key changes adopted in committee included increasing the public match to 4-to-1 (four dollars of public matching funds for every dollar raised) and raising maximum public fund percentages to better support higher-office campaigns (the committee recommended raising certain maximums to 20% and 25% for specified offices). The committee noted an increased funding recommendation of $7,200,000 in the committee report and adopted the measure.
Votes at a glance
- SB 2678 — Outcome: adopted with amendments. Committee recorded Chair Rhodes (aye), Vice Chair Rhodes (aye), Senator Aawa (aye); Senator Chang and Senator San Buenaventura were excused. Appropriation recommended: $20,000.
- SB 2313 — Outcome: adopted with amendments. Committee adopted the bill with the technical and timing adjustments; no recorded objections from members present.
- SB 2528 — Outcome: adopted with amendments. Committee adopted changes to matching rates and maximum public fund percentages and will recommend funding of $7,200,000 in the committee report.
What happens next
Each measure will be reflected in the committee report with the specific language and appropriation recommendations described above and proceed through the legislative process. The committee plans to include the suggested conforming changes and amendment language when preparing the final committee report.
